Scarlet Letters
by Miss Macabre
Summary: Yohji is secretly in love with Aya, except he doesn't know how to tell the closed off Redhead.So he tries his hand at writing letters but what will happen when the good intentioned Omi finds them first?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No I do not own Weiss…Don't rub it in okay!  
starts to cry

AN: For anyone who has read this on Mediaminer or AFF, it has had some minor changes made to it. Nothing deviates from the actual plot, just added things here and there.

Scarlet Letters

His hand was poised over the near blank piece of paper, the words 'To Aya scrawled on the top.  
This was his eleventh copy – today anyway...and it had been today for about... 20 minutes or so.  
He had tried sleeping – obviously unsuccessfully – tried reading, watching TV - hell he had even tried cleaning!  
None of these mundane tasks or usually interesting hobbies could sway his mind from what it had been locked on for the past two months. His noted attraction and respect for the man had turned to anger – because he had found out he was the 'Ice Prince' – and he had been resolutely ignored. Not even noticed. Now however, his appreciation for the crimson haired killer had turned into a slight obsession, with him sneaking glances at the younger assassin any time he could causing him to receive strange looks when he was caught by one of his team mates. They wrote it off as him just looking at Aya – after all Yohji was the Tokyo Playboy, but as far as anyone else knew...he only played with girls. He had tried to deny it so many times, but it had made the feeling come back stronger.  
Yes ladies and gentlemen Yohji Kudoh was attracted to a man. He could just imagine the gasps of all the girls from the fanclub. Not to mention his teams' shocked faces.  
Was it worth the risk? Writing this letter? Let alone handing it to the Iceberg on legs.  
Aya didn't feel anything for him, and that made Yohji's heart sink like the titanic.

Iceberg alright.

No emotion...except for his sister. Not ruling out the occasional display of camaraderie feeling though.  
Yohji felt jealousy stab at him, before he reprimanded himself.  
How pathetic was he? Jealous over Aya-chan, who is currently in a coma...  
Then again what had Yohji done to prove his emotions to Aya? Besides little insignificant things.

Diddly Squat that's what. Quite the opposite actually.

Tormenting the redhead with mindless teasing was obviously not the road into his heart, though it did get his attentions. Therefore it was not mindless.  
Yohji found it his only way to get any emotion out of their icy leader.

His first letter had been blunt and straight to the point...Yohji had thought that the best way to handle the situation, but after he read it over he could just imagine the cool slide of metal as Aya's Katana plunged into his side.  
It had been laughable...the letter, not the Katana.

_Dear Aya,  
I think I love you...I can't tell you to your face because I prefer being alive, and I don't want you to hate me more.  
Yohji._

That was it. His feelings summed up in just overtwenty words. It sounded pathetic even to him, so it would be a hundred times worse for Aya. Needless to say that was not the copy he intended to hand over.

He wondered if going clubbing would help him relax? Maybe give him the inspiration he needed to resolve this issue.  
Plus he needed a break...he had not gone out for the past three weeks. Much to the shock of his teammates, two of which had persisted in asking if he was okay.  
No guesses required figuring out which two teammates.  
Sighing to himself he got up, not bothering to put away the stationary he had been using, and began rooting through his closet for an outfit suitable for a good time.

After primping himself without his usual playboy enthusiasm, he headed downstairs only to be greeted by a swearing Ken.

"Kuso! You're not going clubbing are you?" the brunette exclaimed, fist raised at him.

This confused Yohji, since ken and Omi had been urging him to leave the house just last week, claiming that he was being depressing.

"Yes I am Ken, do you have a problem with that?" he queried in genuine confusion.

"Yes I do! Now I have to be Omi's slave for a day...and you know that kid can be evil." he retorted.

Yohji burst out laughing, clutching his sides. He knew the type of thing Omi would have in store for the oblivious soccer player. The youngest member of Weiss had confided in Yohji about his feelings for their bugnuk wielding team member...Yohji however, had kept silent about his emotions toward their silent leader for fear that nothing would become of it. He knew that Omi would eventually get Ken somehow...Omi always got what he wanted, and Ken had been foolish enough to bet against the chibi – Omi never placed bets unless he had a very good chance at winning.

Clapping his nervous friend on the shoulder he struggled to catch his breath as Ken spoke hurriedly," I should hide...I'm going to go and enjoy what little time I have left as a free man"

Yohji smiled at Ken's unknown double entendre before opening his mouth, a wicked smirk in place, "Omi come here please!"

Ken's eyes widened as he and Yohji bolted for the door at the same time pulling on each others clothes to be the first into the freedom on the other side.  
Yohji saw a flash of brunette hair disappearing into the darkness of the shop as he headed towards his beloved car a club destination already in mind.

(Omi)

Hearing his name called by none other than his flaxen haired teammate, Omi paused what he was doing and headed for the stairs.

"Coming Yohji-kun!" he called as he hurried down the steps.

He frowned as he looked around the room, but could not see the blonde.  
Deciding that he must have misplaced where Yohji's voice had come from, he made his way to Yohji's room, opening the door without knocking.  
The blonde's room was empty, only the usual mess lying around the floor.

Omi spotted what looked like a letter writing kit sitting open on Yohji's otherwise unexpectedly clean bed. Intrigued he bent to pick up the pages when he heard the unmistakable sound of seven's engine roaring off into the night.  
Was Yohji-kun going out somewhere? Or just to the liquor store? Smiling, he clamped down the urge to go off in search for Ken to confirm, and stared down at the sheet of paper he now held in his hand.  
His jaw dropped as he re-read the words on the page.

He sat down on the bed, his movements shaky as his mind raced a million miles an hour...Yohji loved Aya!

Omi let out a shuddering breath and began to giggle...well that explains all the times he caught Yohji-kun staring at Aya...he had just thought Yohji was trying to get inside Aya's head for more irritating ammo. Also why Yohji didn't go clubbing anymore. Why hadn't Yohji-kun told him that he was bi-sexual?

'Hang on...'Omi had sifted through the pile of paper again, picking up random letters, one he came to grabbed his attention.

A line from the paragraph read, ' I was using women to try and distract myself from what I really wanted...You.'

Maybe Yohji was gay...completely.

Omi felt a little hurt that Yohji had not told him about the feelings he harbored for the resident redhead, when Omi had told him about his love and desire for Ken.  
Maybe he was just afraid. Or upset because Aya showed him no emotion whatsoever except annoyance and sometimes anger or coldness.

His heart went out to Yohji in that moment, he knew how he would feel if Ken treated him with Icy indifference, and he swore to help his lovesick blonde friend.  
He knew what Ken would do once he knew that Yohji was going out and that Omi had won the bet. Hide.

Grinning Omi took the first letter and walked out to find Ken.  
He also knew Ken very well from all the times Omi would study him or innocently ask personal questions, and predictably Ken would hide in the same place – Behind the counter in the shop.

Sure enough when he silently opened the door he heard the soccer players sharp intake of breath before silence.  
He crept up to the counter and peeked over the top – being on the opposite side of the door – he saw Ken's back and chocolate brown hair.  
Leaning casually against the top he waited until Ken would peek, and he wasn't disappointed.

Ken obviously thought Omi had gone back upstairs judging by his sigh of relief.

"Hiding from someone Ken?" he asked calmly.

Ken jumped a foot in the air before not bothering to turn around he scrambled towards the door.  
Omi beat him there by a few seconds and he locked the door, smiling like the Cheshire Cat, he turned around.

"Was that Yohji I heard leave?" he raised his eyebrow, wanting an honest answer.

His teammate mumbled for a moment then slumped his shoulders in obvious defeat.

"Okay Omi what chores do you want me to do?" the resignation was clear in his voice and it made Omi smile.

The foundations of his plan had formed in his mind as he had come down the stairs, and Ken had an important role.

"I need your help with Yohji-kun"

Ken looked up in confusion. "But Omi...he's gone clubbing...I guess he hasn't got a problem after all"

"That is where you are wrong...follow me" Still confidently smiling, Omi led the way to Yohji's room.

Once there, he handed the first letter to Ken, then simply pointed towards the scattered mess on the bed.  
He watched Ken's eyes widen and his eyebrows rise, jaw dropping.

"Th...This...has got to be a joke...I mean come on...Yohji the playboy extraordinaire fallen for Aya the Human Ice Cube? No way!"

"It explains alot of things...especially the changes in Yohji-kun's behaviour" One could not deny the logic in that thinking.

Still in shock apparently, Ken let the letter slip from his fingers, a look of pure astonishment on his face.

"But we don't know if Aya is gay...or straight for that matter!" he argued.

"That is where you come in..." Omi began, but was interrupted by an almost affronted soccer player.

"NO WAY!"

"You didn't even hear what I said Kenken." Said Omi with a sigh.

"I don't need to!...You want me to ask him don't you! That's certain death!" If Omi hadn't thought the situation a tad on the serious side, he would have laughed at Ken's expressive gestures with his arms and hands.

"Do you think I am that stupid? No...I want you to hint at it, maybe talk about Yohji-kun alot around him..."He waved his hands and shrugged, " get the idea?"

"I would rather have all of your shifts for the next month."

Omi smiled evilly..."Well you don't really have a choice do you...slave?"

Ken groaned out loud and hit himself in the head. "I am never betting against you again!"

Omi chuckled and walked slowly towards Ken, "Well that would be a shame...especially since I had a few more planned – which I intended to win – in order to extend your servitude"

"Oh yeah! I'll be you slave again...In your dreams!"

He was now standing in front of the chocolate haired assassin, "Yes Ken in my dreams..." Ken looked confused for a moment at the statement he clearly didn't understand, but before he could say anything, Omi – emboldened – quickly descended his lips softly against the soccer player's own.  
Ken seemed too shocked to react, but when he reached up to place a hand on Omi's back, the chibi had already broken the kiss.

"Are you going to help me Ken-kun?" he asked softly.

Ken groaned almost inaudibly and nodded in assent.  
Omi smiled and made his way to his room, trying figure out a proper way to navigate through the mine-ridden maze that Aya had thrown up around his emotions.

(Aya)

He heard Seven taking off into the night, and threw himself on the bed.

Wow.

For a bit there he had thought that the blonde might be giving up his mindless nightly conquests.  
Seems he was just taking temporary respite, and he had seemed to be helping out more in the shop, but here was the proof that Yohji was not ready to give up his title of reigning Tokyo Playboy.

_Maybe Yohji would come home early?_

Aya scowled, wondering where in his mind that thought had come from.  
Probably the part of him that was used to be Ran.  
But Yohji would not come home early, so Aya dampened the hopeful sensation and mentally berated himself for being unreasonable.

Still, he would wait and be here to help the drunken blonde up the stairs should he choose to come home.

Sighing, he got up and began to clean his Katana, waiting – even as he did, he told himself that he would do the same for any other teammate.

It was just his role as their leader to watch their backs.

That's all it is, he told himself.

TBC

Please review! Growing authors need ego-stroking nutrition you know!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I am a FANfiction writer – emphasis on FAN!

Chapter 2

Damn it!  
For the thousandth time that night, Yohji found his mind unwillingly wandering back to a certain redhead, and away from his boring poser of a companion.  
He had desperately thrown himself onto the dance-floor upon arrival, eager bodies pressing in against his, but there was no thrill in it.

Great.

He couldn't even distract himself anymore…the redhead consumed and demanded his attention – even when he wasn't around!  
He wasn't even aware that the raven-haired woman he sat beside was even talking to him, until she sighed, loud and dramatic, then patted his cheek, snapping his mind back to the present.

"Honey, your mind is obviously elsewhere, on someone else. So go to them and stop moping. Good luck hun." She kissed him on the cheek where her hand had been a moment ago.

She slid out of the booth they had been occupying and made her way back to the dance floor, leaving behind a slightly dumbfounded, but relieved Yohji.

He got up from the noisy vinyl seat, and made his way to the bar.  
Straddling a barstool with experienced ease, he motioned for the female bartender.

Annie was an Australian girl who had come to Japan a few years ago as a tourist, and promptly fell in love with the hyperactive nightlife of Tokyo. She had been one of the few girls that Yohji had ever befriended without the ulterior motive of getting into their pants.  
He respected her, independent and quirky as she was with her plain brown hair made not so ordinary with a few well-placed red and purple streaks, and her warm brown eyes.  
She did not know that Yohji was an assassin, he didn't want her getting hurt, but she did know that he wasn't all that he said he was.  
But she had accepted the fact that he didn't want to tell her, and in earning Yohji's trust, she had become one of the few people that saw the real him.  
She also knew about his problem with Aya, and had even become involved in the dilemma at one point.

She had visited Yohji at the Koneko, where upon arrival had been lifted off her feet in a warm genuine hug. It had been planned beforehand, as a bid to make Aya jealous, but he had simply glared at her, and then left the room. Yohji had given up on that idea soon afterwards.  
But he still visited her, here, in this club that she now owned – and had worked hard for too, and he talked about his problems with her and she shared hers also.  
He was very proud of what his friend had accomplished on her own, Focal Point - her club – was now one of the hottest nightclubs around, and Yohji had a standing VIP invitation.  
She walked over to him, smiling with a glass of Midori sour.

"Troubles with Aya again?" He nodded and she sighed. She always seemed to know what problem he was currently angsting over, like she was empathic or something.

'Hey I've seen stranger things on my job.'

Yohji had questioned her about it once, but she had dismissed it as 'female intuition'.  
Well whatever it was, he needed some of it now.  
The music was quieter in this section of the club, so that patron could talk without screaming their heads off.  
Annie handed the cup to Yohji who immediately downed half the glass.  
When he set it down he saw that his friend was leaning back against the counter, eyebrows raised.

"Getting harder to keep it in huh Yohji?" She stated knowingly.

Just like that she had hit his problem head on…I knew it – empathy.

"Yeah…I just can't blurt it out…you saw what he was like at Koneko right?" She nodded and let him continue his rant, " He would hate me! He's probably asexual for all I bloody well know!" He let his head drop on the surface of the bar, but then sprung back up, already on another train of thought with his issues.

"And the letters!" He cried, startling a nearby couple, "I can't even write a decent fucking love letter! The great Yohji Kudoh, Playboy of Tokyo can't even write a goddamn love letter!"

Annie rolled her eyes and smacked Yohji on the side of the head, promptly cutting short his frantically crazed tirade.

"Hey I was venting! C'mon Annie I need help!" He cried desperately.

She laughed, " I can see that! Look Yohji, what you need to stop doing is moping. Just go home and tell him…he won't kill you." She took away the now empty glass and shooed Yohji with her hand, smile still in place.  
He pouted as best he could, but she just pointed to the exit and mouthed 'GO'.  
Groaning he stood up and walked a slightly swerved path to the door.  
He had to come up with a plan. Not for tonight, he would do it tomorrow.

Crappy chapter I know – But it's my story! All mine! Review! Please…sob


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Weiss Kreuz…However; I do have a very nice pair of short shorts!

Who likes short shorts?

"We like short shorts!"

Chapter 3

Breaking the Ice

**Ken**

The soccer player looked back one last time at the young blonde, who stared back and silently pointed.

Sighing, Ken made his way into the shop, where Aya was silently working on a rose flower arrangement at the worktable.

Mentally berating himself for betting against the hacker once again, he slowly shuffled forward to his target.

Last night he and Omi had discussed the situation, and had come up with a rough plan.

Phase 1 - interrogation.

They would each take turns to try and pry answers or reactions out of the frosty redhead, as unobtrusively as possible, in a bid to help their depressed teammate.

And Ken was first on the shooting range.

He still approached the silent firing squad that would likely be his doom, but Omi would hurt him if he didn't do this - or worse, never kiss him again.

That had been heaven for Ken, and he still was in disbelief that the younger man had taken charge and made the first move.

He remembered the satin soft glide of Omi's lips over his own, so soft yet demanding, smooth yet unsure.

But he had to focus on the task at hand if he wanted to stay in Omi's good graces.

Which he most certainly did.

God the way the Omi looked when he-

"Ken!"

He snapped his eyes into focus again and saw - only now - that Yohji was in the room, standing to the side of Ken, where Aya could not see his face, the slipping mask of casual composure revealing several emotions.

Anger, jealousy and possessiveness.

Ken only now realised that he had stopped in front of the workbench, which Aya was occupying and had been standing there with a slightly unfocused and dreamy look on his face…thinking about Omi.

Yohji had obviously thought he had been daydreaming about Aya, by the way his body was tensed.

Shit! Ken thought…I am screwing this up before I even get started!

His eyes flicked to Aya, trying to - in a subtle fashion - determine wether the redhead had noticed the small exchange of standoffish glances.

Pale hands were trembling slightly, he noted.

Anger?

Or something else?

He was still looking at Aya when a hard clipboard was being roughly pressed - with excessive force - into his chest.

"Deliveries" the blonde snarled, before stomping off to the greenhouse.

Normally, Ken would have reacted to this violently, but he knew what it was about now, and that the playboys behaviour was not mindless hostility.

Ken almost kicked himself for screwing this up already…now Yohji was mad at him and Aya was still ignoring him.

Great start to Phase 1.

**Omi**

"Aya-kun, do you know where Yohji-kun is?" Omi asked in an innocently curious voice. He knew that the older man was out on a delivery, or more accurately, off to cool his temper after Ken's mistake.

"Hn"

That was all the response he had managed to wring from the stoic swordsman all day.

He had prattled on about a conversation he had held with the older blonde a couple of weeks back, when Omi had asked Yohji what drew him into clubs.

The blonde had described - in great and animated detail - the pros and cons of the Tokyo nightlife, and now Omi was relaying the description to Aya-kun, as he watched him for any sign of emotion.

Hn.

That was all he ever got.

But he wasn't giving up…Yohji was his friend and he hated to see him so torn up.

Especially if he thought he could do something about it. And he would try as hard as he could.

Omi smirked to himself…and he had ken's unwavering assistance for the week.

Okay Ayan, you want to ignore the subject - and me?

Time to bring out the big guns, thought Omi as he walked back to the workbench, wiping the evil grin off his face in the process.

He stood right in front of the redhead and looked up, an innocently curious, but slightly nervous expression was on his face as he asked, " Aya-kun…can I ask you something?"

Aya sighed in a tired manner, before staring blankly at Omi.

At least he made a sound other than Hn'.

This had been Omi's second phase.

He was going to try to get jealousy out of the team's leader.

"Well I wanted to know if it's okay for a guy to like another guy? Someone at school said that it was wrong…" He turned on the waterworks, on the verge of tears.

"Is it?"

Aya looked up, glaring, but his gaze softened slightly when he saw Omi in full chibi mode.

Omi resisted the urge to laugh like an evil maniac.

Big guns indeed.

Aya - despite his cool and calm exterior - seemed to be somewhat out of his depth, but he attempted to answer anyway.

"…Omi…some people just have different…views…on the subject, but no it isn't wrong" Omi was surprised that Aya had not just said a simple no', but he had learnt long ago that his teammates tended to treat him with a little more sensitivity than they did each other.

Not that he didn't appreciate it, but he wasn't a naïve little boy.

Aya's unexpected answer had opened the door in the conversation for the hacker to plant the idea in the swordsman's head.

He brightened and gave the redhead a brilliantly happy smile, " Thanks Aya! That really helps…" He went shy all of a sudden and blushed till his cheeks were tinted with a pink tinge, " I…just want to ask you one more question…umm…DoyouthinkYohjilikeschocolates?"

The young blonde watched as the older man froze, as if not believing what he had just heard, then he looked down at Omi with slightly wide - but still cold - eyes.

"Excuse me?" He said, his voice low and chilly.

Omi saw his chance and he took advantage of the redhead's momentary shock to launch into a full-scale rant about Yohji.

"I said do you think Yohji liked chocolates? I was going to get him a teddy bear; you know the ones holding the hearts? But I wasn't sure he would like that…" He sighed happily, eyes gazing off into the distance as he continued his performance.

"Aren't his eyes beautiful? Oh his hair looks like gold in the sunlight…so soft and silky too…and his smile is soooo gorgeous and charming…" He rested his elbows on the workbench and leaned his head on his upturned palms, grinning happily at the stunned redhead.

Omi had made the decision flirt with Yohji - pretend that he was infatuated with him to get a reaction out of Aya.

He would tell Yohji that he isn't in love with him, but he wouldn't tell the whole truth about it either.

Just then the door opened and in stomped the aforementioned blonde, still upset by the looks of things.

"Yotan!"

Omi ran to Yohji and practically glomped him.

Holding the slightly shocked assassin around the middle, Omi sighed contentedly, leaning his head on the blonde's chest.

"Hey Omittchi…It's good to see you too" He laughed, still a bit surprised by Omi's intense reaction.

Omi - who was still holding on tightly to the older man - sneaked a peak at Aya…who was no longer there.

The workbench had been left strewn with flower cuttings, the arrangement finished, but not put on display. Omi smirked.

It wasn't like Aya to leave things less than in order, so either he was disgusted by Omi's - albeit fake - display of affection, or he was jealous about Yohji.

"Uh…chibi…what are you doing?" Yohji asked, frowning in confusion.

"Yotan…can you help me make Ken jealous?" Omi didn't need to get Ken envious of course, seeing how he had kissed him back already, but it was a good excuse to make Yohji participate of his own free will.

Yohji laughed, " Ah…the chibi got tired of waiting huh? Well if it helps you get what you want the sure I'm in for a little…dramatization." He laughed again as Omi hugged and thanked him…once again resisting the urge to do an evil genius laugh.

**Aya**

What just happened?

Omi in love with Yohji? Surely not…

Either the Chibi drank a love potion or Aya wasn't as good at reading people as he thought.

No matter what the reason, he can't let it happen…Yohji wasn't interested in the chibi…it would disrupt the harmony of the team.

Yes…the team.

He told himself it was for the best interests of the team.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Yes I own them crosses fingers behind back…would I lie to you? Chibi eyes

P.S the answer is yes.

**Chapter 4**

Yohji watched Aya from the corner of his eye, surreptitiously memorizing every inch of him.

He had been confused about the chibi's behaviour at first, but once he had explained his actions - and his ulterior motives - it had made perfect sense.

Even so, the PI instincts in him were ringing alarm bells…Omi hadn't told Yohji the whole story - but he trusted the little hacker (with his life too) and knew that Omi would not hurt any of them intentionally.

So he was planning to talk to Ken instead.

He glanced up at Aya one more time, trying to discern the man's mood before suggesting that they close early.He had seemed more irritated than usual - if that was possible - and had been glaring at every customer that had walked into the shop.Yohji sauntered his way over to the register where Aya was standing, glaring silently at the till, when to doorbell tinkledYohji groaned on the inside, but pasted a big charming smile on his face as he turned to greet the customer.

She was a short pretty 17 year old, with dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"Why hello beautiful! How can I help you?" He chimed, hoping she would just hurry up and leaveShe smiled and walked over to the displays, where she took a single tulip and walked to the registerAya glared at her when she handed over the correct amount of money, the smiled up at him.

Suddenly Yohji thought she wasn't so pretty.

That's my Ayan! He wanted to scream at her to leave and take her girlish fantasies too.

Just when he thought he couldn't hate her more, she held out the tulip to the still glaring redhead.

"I looked up the flower meaning," she said confidently, as if he should be honoured that she was even considering him for her affections.

Yohji watched with jealousy as Aya flat out stared at the girl.

She stood there still, waiting for an answer to her declaration of love.

She's gonna be waiting for a fucking long time, thought Yohji bitterly.

All of a sudden the redhead stalked gracefully to the greenhouse, coming out a moment later with three flowers clasped in his hand.Yohji didn't want to watch this…and then, as the man neared the counter, Yohji finally got a good look at the flowers he held.

He smiled all of a sudden - relieved by the meanings of the flora.

He stood in front of the girl and offered the small bouquet to her.

She smiled - obviously she had not done her research - and gushed happily, "For me! Thank you Aya!" She smiled brightly up at him.

"It's Fujimiya-san," He said coldly before standing once again behind the till.

She looked confused for a moment, then recovered, turning to face him.

"They're beautiful! What do they mean?"She was smiling again, obviously thinking that the flowers meant love and desire and some other teen fantasy bullshit, so Yohji decided to break her heart and hopes.

Aya was his…well, will be soon…hopefully…

"Fig marigold - coldness of the heart, Scarlet geranium - stupidity, and Pink musk - childishness" He was still smiling at her, watching as disbelief, anguish and finally anger flitted across her features.She turned back to Aya and snatched the tulip from where he had laid it on the counter, and then spat at him, " I'll give this to someone who deserves it!" Then turned on her heel and stomped to the door.

Yohji couldn't resist yelling, "Thank you, come again!" Even though it was unlikely she would.

Teen queen of her school, and she had just been rejected by someone she thought would rush into her arms.

She obviously did not know Aya Fujimiya.

"Way to break her heart Aya!" said Yohji laughingly as the door clanged shut.

Aya scowled and turned, but not before Yohji caught the tiniest lift in the corner of his mouth.

Aya was smirking!

Yohji almost fell over in shock. He didn't think that Aya knew how to use his mouth - except for the usual…you know, screaming at Takatori, growling, frowning - when he showed emotion.

But now this!

Hmmm…Yohji wondered what other talents the redhead could do with that gorgeous mouth…and was hiding.

He intended to find out in the near future.

**Omi**

"Ken-kun! Move out of the way!" Omi hissed.

The soccer player was dragging a bag of soccer balls through the doorway to the Koneko, where Omi had been trying to spy on Aya and Yohji cleaning up the store.

He had been planning to surprise the older blonde with the Swiss chocolate he had bought, and while the redhead was in sight was the best time for maximum effect.

"Ken-kun I can't see!" Omi was too short to peer over the bag, so here he was - reduced to lying on the floor, narrowly avoiding being knocked out by muddy soccer balls.

Once Ken had - finally - moved out of his line of vision, and the pesky soccer balls had been deposited in the kitchen, Omi stood.

He looked himself over, making sure he had no mud on him, when a hand grabbed his and yanked him straight into a hard warm body.

"No need to check Omittchi…You look as cute as ever" Omi would have smiled, but his lips weren't given a chance to, before they were being occupied and his brain evaporated.

Suddenly he remembered and he wrenched his lips away, pushing the soccer player to arms length.

"Ken-kun! You're supposed to ignore me! Remember the plan?" Omi stared hard at Ken, who simply tried to re-establish their previous level of contact.

He finally gave up when he realised that Omi was serious, "But Omi…I don't wanna ignore you! I can't!" He whined.

"You can and you will," The evil smirk was back "…Slave," He added.

Ken groaned, as Omi walked away, towards the Koneko in triumph.

He spied his target, snatched up his hidden chocolates - albeit gently snatched (they were expensive) - and ran up to the unsuspecting blonde.

He launched himself with his usual unerring accuracy and landed right where he had planned - on Yohji's back.He wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck, "Yohji-kun!" He cried laying his head at an awkward angle, so he could see Aya still.

Who was looking blankly at him.

Not glaring, just…blank.

He needed to up the dosage of Omi love.

"Did cram school finish early?' The older man asked.

"Hai! And I came straight back to see you!" He squealed…still no reaction.

He let go of Yohji and walked around to face him, smiling his best chibi you-can't-refuse-me smile. He held out the chocolates…which he had skipped cram school to go find.

"Oh…thanks Omittchi! Mmmm these look good…wanna share them with me later?" Yohji wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, willing to play along.

Omi glomped him again, and when Yohji laughed he just held on tighter.

"I'll take that as a yes then…" Was his reply, intoned in that playboy sultry voice.

He relinquished his hold on the assassin, letting him return to his sweeping.

As he walked past Aya he noticed that the man was still just standing, expressionless.

He groaned inwardly, cursing the redheads resistance to normal emotions, and went to prepare Phase 2.

Close Encounters…He wasn't gonna stop till that ice cube was turning green with envy!

Mwahahahah…he thought of an American movie he had watched once… and fought the urge to put his pinkie to the corner of his mouth and actually do his evil laugh.

That's Eeeevillll…

**Aya**

Aya watched as the Genki youth walked - practically skipped would be more appropriate - out of the Koneko.

This could not go on…the Chibi would only get hurt…then the team wouldn't function to their utmost potential.

His eyes narrowed at the older blonde for responding to the chibi's gestures of affection.

He would have to have a talk to Omi…

It was for the best interests of the team…

Yes, the team…

* * *

Thanks again for the reviews…Keep them coming! 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: If I owned it, I wouldn't need a DISCLAIMER!

Thanks again to my reviewers (you know I love you right?)

**Scarlet Letters 5**

"Ken-kun, I told you already - Yohji-kun knows I'm not interested! He thinks he's helping me make you jealous!" explained the young archer.

"Well he's doing a great job!" Pouted the soccer player.

Omi sighed, tired of assuring the insecure idiot that he had no romantic interests in Yohji. He was like an older brother - just not evil and crazy like his last ones had been.

"Look, I don't know about you, but Yohji being depressed makes everyone else depressed! He's usually the one that makes us all laugh, but now he stays in his room- "

"Writing those love letters" snickered Ken. He had to agree with Omi's reasoning - Yohji being unhappy usually made everyone else unhappy…except for Aya.

Omi watched as Ken's shoulders slumped in defeat…it wasn't really like he had a choice…there was still 5 days left of his servitude.

They were sitting on the couch in the mission room, where their evil plans - well, Omi's evil plans - could not be overheard.

And they could have some privacy…

Well that's what Omi had planned anyway, but Ken seemed set on trying to dissuade him from his machinations.

"Omiiiii…this isn't gonna work!" Ken was still whining even when he had agreed to help, " Aya probably hates Yohji! We don't know anything yet! Except that Yohji likes chocolates…" he muttered darkly as Omi gave him a playful - yet exasperated - whack on the arm.

"We can't stop trying, we ha-" Omi stopped mid-sentence, as the door to the spiral metal stairs opened, sending slivers of light across the room.

Both me light across the room. Both men waited for the intruder's identity to become known.

A black leather booted foot descended, followed by its twin, and attached to a pair of long legs in comfortable black jeans.

Yohji's jeans were always tighter, so it must be Aya-kun.

His assumption was confirmed when a pale hand grasped the metal rail, and the redhead's face appeared, expressionless as ever.

"Bombay" Omi knew it must be serious if Aya was using his codename, and he heard Abyssinian's cold mission voice - not Aya's. "I have a matter I wish to discuss with you"

Abyssinian's eyes flicked to where Ken sat beside Omi, the message clear: Get out.

Ken might be a little bit slow sometimes, but he didn't mistake the look, and stood up to comply with the silent command.

Omi watched, unafraid, as Abyssinian moved to the side to let the soccer player through the door, before closing it behind him.

The young blonde heard the lock click into place, and he began to get a bit nervous.

Obviously this was a conversation that Aya - or Abyssinian rather - did not want to be intruded upon.

He forced himself to be calm, as he watched Abyssinian move to stand over him, a hard look in his amethyst eyes.

"What is it Aya-kun?' Omi asked, his voice thankfully level, and not playing hopscotch through the high notes.

"I cannot allow what is going on between you and Balinese to continue," stated the redhead in low and deadly voice.

Omi raised his eyebrows, finally understanding why the man did not want this conversation to be overheard.

Ah…so we have hope after all…

Inside, his now frequent evil snicker sounded, as he altered the plans - not having expected for this type of encounter so early in the scheme.

But fully delighted, because it meant that Aya was noticing and didn't like what he saw.

Full steam ahead evil chibi!

Time to play the innocent.

"What's going on?" He looked up with wide eyes, giving himself ten points for a convincing performance.

Violet eyes narrowed a fraction - Omi knew that Aya was suspicious of his confused and innocent demeanor, " Your infatuation with your teammate, Bombay, is detrimental to the team's delicate structure" Though the redhead's voice was still deadpan, Omi saw the spark of anger in those eyes…

Omi decided to move up it a notch…

" I wouldn't call it an infatuation…Yohji just makes me laugh" The young blonde had long perfected the art of observing people through his messy hair, when it looked as if he was looking down, He was watching their every move.

He didn't miss the way a small amount of tension slipped from the taut man standing in front of him when he - in an indirect manner - admitted that Yohji was just a really good friend, whom he wanted to make happy.

Sure, Omi enjoyed planning and plotting like this, but lying to his friends made him feel guilty - even if it was for their own good!

Now a fraction of that guilt slid from his conscience because of his masked words, and now all Aya had to do was read the meaning correctly.

"You understand that Manx will not stand for that type of occurrence in one of their best teams?" Still intoned in that emotionless voice, though Omi knew he was relieved - the question was - why?

Why was he relieved? Omi quickly scanned the options to explain this…

He - as leader of Weiss - would not be held responsible if one of them were to die after a lover's spat left them unfocused for a mission

No one would be stealing the chibi's innocence away anytime soon…well, at least not Yohji…

Aya was harbouring secret feelings for the willowy assassin, but not admitting them to himself.

He preferred option (c), but (a) was also a very likely possibility. He made eye contact and tried a small smile, " What type of occurrence Ayan?"

Violet eyes narrowed even further, until they were in danger of closing of their own accord, " Do not insult my intelligence, Bombay"

This in the coldest tone yet - maybe Aya had anticipated his innocent behaviour, or he could see right through it.

Fine, Aya wanted to play hardball?

Bring it on…

"Your intelligence is blind, Abyssinian, if you don't know what's going on with Yohji" He retorted, knowing that wounding Aya's pride as a leader - and proving that his team is in a less than perfect state - would be one of the best ways to get a reaction.

And a reaction it was…by Aya's standards anyway.

His nostrils flared in disbelief - the arrogance of a team member to talk back to their leader - and his eyes widened before narrowing again to cold slits of near black irises.

Throughout the conversation he had leaned forward, now he snapped back to his full height as though trying to intimidate him, but Omi was not giving in.

He just raised his eyebrows, and then asked the million-dollar question, "Are you jealous Aya-kun?"

Unfortunately this was also the are-you-looking-for-death suicide question.

Aya slammed his hand onto the couch, right beside Omi's face, and leaned in, his eyes promising a slow death.

He had expected the little display of violence - and therefore didn't flinch - and had expected Aya to maybe threaten him, or yell at him even, but what happened next shocked him as much as finding Yohji's letters had.

Aya was silent.

Not the impending-death-silence either.

Confused silence…

He was blinking rapidly, a frown marring his features almost as though he hadn't considered the possibility that maybe he was jealous.

Considering the fact that he had just reacted like a jealous bitch.

Suddenly the hand was recoiled, and the owner was fleeing from the question - or more likely, what the answer was.

**_Aya_**

What did I just do!

I almost hit the Chibi!

No…no, no, no, no…

Aya threw open the mission room door, promptly knocking Ken over with the force of it.

He didn't even stop to snap at the sprawled soccer player for attempting to eavesdrop on a private discussion - no matter that the room was soundproof.

He ran all the way to his room, where no one could bother him with silly questions…Jealous?

He leant back against the closed door, trying to regain several things - his breath, his temper and his dignity.

He couldn't like Yohji could he?

Yes, he had noticed the man was…godlike…well you had to be blind not to notice that, but he was supposed to like women right?

He had never really dated before Takatori tore is life apart, but he was pretty sure he liked women…

What was he thinking about those things for?

He slid down the wooden door to the floor, trying to suppress his other half - Ran, whom he thought didn't exist anymore - had come back with a vengeance, debating fiercely with Aya about what his reactions meant.

Inside was war…

_You know you wanted him the first time you saw him_

I'm just his teammate…

_You want more_

I…don't know what I want…just not him…

_You liar!_

I don't know!

_You get angry at every girl who stares at him…you don't do the same to Ken_

I don't…do I?

_And now you almost hit Omi - you know why…admit it!_

I…do…

* * *

Sorry it took a while…

But I know you still love me!

Aww Ayan's having internal debates! Poor kid.

Imitates newsreader voice "Stay tuned for more scarlet letters on channel 69…"


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: A thousand times I have said,

(It's quite ingrained in my head)

No I do not own the boys,

They're just borrowed toys,

Best played with naked, in a bed.

Scarlet Letters chapter 6

It's a wonder that blonde idiot uses alcohol to escape is problems - two bottles of Sake gone and all Aya could think about was him.

If anything, being drunk makes the problem worse.

Aya was sitting in his room, on his bed, next to two empty glass bottles and another soon to join the ranks.

Stupid Kudoh…Aya didn't know why he was jealous of Omi.

_Because you like Yohji._

"Shut up! I don't wanna talk to you anymore!" Aya shouted, in a hopeless attempt to stay in denial a little longer.

"Talking to yourself - it's the first sign of madness"

At the sound of a voice in the room, Aya nearly jumped a foot in the air, almost sliding himself of the edge of his bed in the process.

Once he regained his balance, he looked towards the voice of the intruder.

He came face to face with serious eyes, ocean blue - not the usual genki waves of the seas, but calm, almost cold with calculation.

His own eyes immediately narrowed and hardened as the harsh smack of reality sobered him minutely.

"What do you want, Bombay?" His voice held no slur of a regular drunken man - anyone would have guessed he was stone cold sober.

Aya's eyes narrowed even further as he watched the chibi plop himself down confidently on the bed, sighing in exasperation - at what Aya did not know, but from the expression on that normally cherubic face…he was going to find out and he would bet his last bottle of Sake that he wasn't going to like it.

"You lie too much Ayan"

Narrowed eyes suddenly widened. The sentence - though simple - had summed up exactly what he was trying to avoid.

The truth.

Aya grabbed the full bottle of Sake, not bothering with the half opened one he had placed on the nightstand, and took a long swallow.

I knew I wasn't going to like it, he thought bitterly to himself as he watched the chibi stare at him studiously.

"You are as drunk as Farfarello on St. Patrick's day aren't you?" The voice was calm but still managing to sound innocent.

How does he do that?

Aya could not think of a decent response, so he settled for a glare…he wasn't even going to ask how Omi knew whether or not Farfarello got shitfaced on the aforementioned holiday.

He watched as the chibi rolled his eyes and carried on, "See? There you go again! Lying to everyone! Especially yourself! I bet it's sheer willpower that's keeping your voice coherent," Well and truly in his element now, as if he had wanted to say this for a while, the young blonde continued, " You are absolutely trashed! It's because of our little discussion' ne Ayan? You don't like the way certain people - or a certain person should I say, not naming names - YOHJI! - makes you feel!" The last was said accentuated with a pointed finger in Aya's direction.

"Temee…"

Aya started in a venomous voice, but was promptly cut off by a sharp bark of laughter, unlike any form of mirth he had ever heard from the teen's mouth.

"ME! No no no… YOU! At least I know what I want! Who I want!" The younger assassin's voice dropped back to normal conversational level after the small outburst, almost as if they were discussing the usual - Flower deliveries, killing someone, the weather…you know, the usual.

Aya's mind sobered a bit more at Omi's mention of just who he wanted.

He snorted inelegantly, "I think you made it quite clear who you want Bombay"

Omi's hands reached up for his head, and Aya watched in odd fascination as the teen attempted to tear random sections of his hair out…

Oh, and he was showing signs of madness?

"If you paid attention to us, the real us - not our mission persona - then you would know what the hell was going on! I wouldn't be here! I could be snuggling up to Ken watching a movie! But noooo…"

Aya tuned out of the rant for a moment - KEN!

"…so we have to step in to give you a kick in the right direction! And still…"

Aya's mind was running a million miles a minute…was innocent little Omi a closet slut or something! His attention drifted from the one sided conversation to his own thoughts, trying to find a viable explanation for the seemingly scrambled snippets of the chibi's obviously frustrated mind.

"…whole plan to make you jealous - which worked - but you still-"

"-What?"

That one word had been enough to stem the swift flow or words from the teen - mind you, it had been spoken in a voice so cold it will make your extremities attempt to climb into your body for extra warmth - or fall off of their own accord to find more appropriate shelter against the sudden arctic temperature.

Suddenly the cool, calm demeanour was gone, like a masquerade mask dropping to the floor, revealing the young man's true nervousness.

"Omittchi…what did you say?"

Somehow, Aya - Abyssinian - using Omi's nickname instead of his codename, scared him more…even though he had stressed the point several times in the past that the rest of the team did have actual names other than the notorious cat breed…hn' wasn't counted apparently.

"Ummm…IwasjustpretendingtomakeyoujealoussoyoucanadmitthatyoulikeYohji-kun!"

The whole was said in an unintelligible rush, and in the mere seconds it took Aya to decipher it; Omi was sprinting for the door…

It barely registered in his shocked mind that minutes had passed in silent solitude, and that Omi was long gone - probably into the waiting arms of Ken - also that he should be attempting to skewer the genki blonde…but his brain was almost over-heated with the effects of shocking news and copious amounts of alcohol combined.

Yohji…Aya was willing to bet the Playboy's hidden bottle of peppermint schnapps (He thought it was hidden) that the willowy assassin was involved.

He got up off his bed and stormed to the kitchen - most recent destination for the elusive creature known as Kudoh Yohji - grabbing his Katana as he went.

His thoughts were clearer, but his vision wasn't keeping up with him…every bounce on the steps caused his eyesight to rattle like a charity collector's tin, making the final three steps look like five.

Therefore Aya continued to mechanically move his feet in descent when he reached the landing - even though there were no steps left to descend upon.

It must have been a rather odd sight, but not as odd as the conversation that was currently taking place in the kitchen…

Aya stood, hidden in the shadows, Katana in hand listening silently to Yohji converse to some unknown individual through his cellphone…

"…I'm sure he didn't mean that…what?…Yes of course I know what a cold bastard he can be…Gods know he's proved it on numerous occasions - yes you were restricted…no, no, no don't apologize I understand - hello - same situation…nah he's still the same…hahaha…much more pleasureable…I'm sure he'll come round - after all who can resist you?… Me? Awww you know I love you, but no…uh huh…Yeah I saw them - horse tranquillisers?…whoa…nah I gotta go…He hasn't left his room yet…but he does that I know…okay…yeah love you too…bye then…"

Aya's eyes had grown steadily wider throughout the phonecall, and his eyebrows were in danger of disappearing into his hairline, his hands unconsciously gripping the hilt of his weapon tighter, till his knuckles were white…

Yohji loves someone!

_Oh, so now you care?_

I thought I told you to shutup!

_Ironic isn't it?_

SHI N-

All of a sudden Aya felt a lurching feeling in the pit of his stomach…dimly, he heard the door shut - the kitchen now empty, but he couldn't have cared less…

He made it to the sink in time to see his meagre lunch and breakfast take the wrong exit into the sink…

After trying to catch his breath, the sound too loud in the silent kitchen, he heard a timid voice, "Ayan…are you okay?"

Aya felt his sardonic smile…only the chibi could be so innocent after a little chat like they just had.

Feeling slightly lightheaded, Aya didn't protest when he felt an arm wrap around his waist, guiding him slowly back to his room.

Even if he was feeling a subdued type of murderous rage towards the young archer, it would have to wait until he cold support himself before he could exact revenge…

For now…sleep.

The door clicked closed, plunging the room back into darkness where Aya's eye blissfully drifted closed, anticipating a silence from is drunken subconscious.

_Aya and Yohji sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N…_

In that instant before sleep, he cursed Aya-chan - in her European abroad school - for ever teasing him with that rhyme…his mind obviously hadn't forgotten.

* * *

Sorry it took a bit - kicks the uncooperative fic

Gomen…: P

If you still love me…even a bit…then write me a review - the muse is ravenous and cannibalistic…

Help me…


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Weiss Kruez is red hot!

And I don't own diddly squat

AN - I realise that I change pov in the middle, but it made a bit more sense that way.

Scarlet letters chapter 7

Aya was still trying to figure out just who the hell had been on the other end of that phone call.

His mind was still going a thousand miles a minute trying to work it out.

Aya had decided that the best way to handle this would be from a logical point of view.

Just like a scientist would study a rat in a maze.

The question was; who was the prize in the centre?

It had been two weeks since the incident, and Aya had resolved to never drink again.

He thanked the gods everyday that Omi had not been back to his room to have another one of their chats.

The previous two had already given him enough of a psychological scare - not to mention the first had driven him to drink in the first place, resulting in him hearing the phone call that sent his already tilted delicate emotional balance into turmoil, also leading to him getting to know the toilet bowl better.

But, he now had a purpose.

Once he had - albeit reluctantly - admitted to himself that he felt things for the lanky assassin other than camaraderie and your everyday garden variety type of annoyance, he had come up with a sketchy plan.

He didn't feel as though he deserved to be loved by someone like Yohji - but Aya-chan's parting words to him at the airport were etched into his mind…Be happy beloved brother'.

He had spent days sifting through his memories, remembering the times when Yohji had made a joke to attempt to draw him out of his shell, and he had bitten his tongue to stop himself from smiling.

Then there were the memories of Yohji touching him…skin on skin contact…wether it had been cleaning a bloody wound from a mission or just a casual brush of his hand when he was reaching for flowers in the Koneko, it was the same every time.

Electric.

One touch could raise goosebumps on his skin, send shivers up his spine or - he was only admitting this now - the rush of heat down to a more southerly region of his body.

He had simply dismissed it as being shut away for too long - simply reacting to the touch of another human. He had thought his body wouldn't be picky, after all it was just skin - it didn't matter whose skin it was…right?

But the more he thought on it, the clearer it became…he didn't freeze up when Omi put a hand on his shoulder, nor did he get half an erection from Ken wiping the blood of his bare skin.

No.

Just Yohji.

Yohji…

Aya smiled to himself…pure sin incarnate - that's what Yohji was.

Impossibly long legs, molten honey hair, toned body, gold tinted skin, vibrant intelligent emerald eyes…

Yes that's right - intelligent.

To underestimate Yohji is fatal.

Aya snickered quietly - Schwarz learnt very early on not to underestimate the blonde.

He stopped snickering when his train of thought invoked an onslaught of memories from fighting Scwarz - he thought jealously of the time he had seen Mastermind grab the blonde around the waist and whisper something in his ear, which none of them had heard, but on the ride back to the Koneko the normally talkative Eurasian had been oddly subdued.

Lately, he had been going out again more frequently.

Aya didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.

Good thing - he's not sick or whatever reason he wasn't going out for in the first place.

Bad thing - he's with other people, women…possibly other men.

Another thing to find out - what Yohji preferences are.

Aya had started taking note of the small things, such as how Yohji has his coffee.

Smooth, creamy and just a little bit sweet.

His favourite flower, it seemed, was the rose. Aya had yet to figure out the reasoning behind the choice. It had to have some kind of significance.

Pulling out of his confusing thoughts for a moment, Aya glanced at the alarm clock by his bed surmising that it was time to get downstairs for his shift with the blonde.

Okay so it was a little early, but as far as he knew from his sparse dating experience, you were supposed to go out of your way to be around that person.

Maybe that was why he had accepted Yohji's offer to trade shifts with Omi to be on with him - at the time it had been his escape route from Sakura's constant fawning, but the girl never came anymore.

So why hadn't he switched back to working with Ken?

He might never admit it but he like working with Yohji - like it more than the ingrained assassin part of him wanted to allow.

Aya changed with swift movements, eager to get downstairs and engage in his new obsession.

Watching Yohji.

Studying him.

Staring at him…along with the usual horde of screaming fangirls.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

It's her again - the contaminator.

Yes, I named a customer.

Look at the way she fusses over him!

Ooh Yohji-san your hair is so golden' - well we can all see that! Is it natural?'

That's practically an invitation! I'm sure she would want to find out.

Apparently they have met before - at a nightclub or someplace similar, and now she comes in every few days.

How obvious.

And I am obviously jealous…I'm not sure I've ever felt jealous before Yohji. The first time was Omi's fault. That kid is more perceptive than we give him credit for - I didn't even know I liked Yohji until he kicked me in the right direction.

He still taunts me though - maybe trying to get me to make a move or whatever it's called. He looks so innocent, but I know otherwise.

I caught him and Ken making out in the mission room two days ago. That was when I figured out what he had been doing, and I got confused - I felt relieved and annoyed at the same time.

He thinks that I'm not going to do anything so he keeps pushing me - in a not so subtle manner.

Just casually walk past me cough Glacier cough. I almost choked on my tea when he did it the first time.

After a few times I realised that it tended to happen when I ignored Yohji or glared at him.

I wasn't ignoring him though; I mean how was I supposed to say anything coherent when he was sitting there in a towel!

It would have looked sinfully hot, if he hadn't had a milk moustache at the time - that just made it cute.

I really wanted a camera then.

Injustice! That little tramp has her hands on him! I called her the contaminator because of her perfume - some cheap brand that permeates the air leaving smelling like lavender for hours after.

Therefore she contaminates the airspace in the shop.

Did I mention I was jealous?

Unconsciously I gripped the shearers tighter as I watched her with her slimy hands on my Yohji's arm, and my hand slipped, sliding down the blade.

The surprise of it made me cry out in pain, but more from the surprise.

I watched the blood well in the palm of my hand, almost transfixed until a tan hand grabbed mine. I looked up, dumbfounded.

"Aya? What happened? Oh, that looks nasty…I'll have to continue that conversation another time Miko, okay?"

My unusually slow mind registered that Yohji was dismissing the girl and taking me to help me with my hand. I suddenly felt superiorly happy - not that I was showing it.

As Yohji steered me towards the stairs - amidst the protests of the contaminator who was bristling with annoyance, I shot a glance over my shoulder towards her in time to see her flick her bottle red hair in anger. I couldn't help but smile smugly.

Her eyes narrowed and she smiled back - it was more a baring of teeth than a smile.

I raised an eyebrow and decided to be a bit clearer.

Before we were out of sight, I put my arm around Yohji's waist - bingo - her eyes widened.

That's right bitch - he's mine!

I turned around again, and saw that Yohji was looking at me with a strange expression on his face that I couldn't place.

Did I go too far?

I made as if to pull my arm away, but Yohji's hand clamped down on mine where I rested on his slim hip, and I got the tingles again.

He smiled wolfishly at me and I wondered if this was just a game to him.

Help poor injured Aya up the stairs.

I'm confused all over again!

This having a crush on someone business is complicated.

But this is good…simple contact. Yohji was cleaning the blood off my hand with a damp cloth, saying that it was lucky this wasn't my sword hand.

I'm not really concentrating on his words though, more the way he moves around - he has a natural grace. Unconscious, not the type that ballerina's have to practice and hone over the years. More like a cat that he realises.

How ironic.

I notice that his hand has stopped moving; simply holding mine and I look up to see why.

He's looking at me again - I don't know what it is in those bright green eyes of his, but something in me wants to see more of it.

A burning sensation is slithering throughout my chest and I release the breath I didn't know I was holding. His eyes flick to my mouth for a moment, then back to my own eyes.

Either the lighting in the room has gone down or his irises have gotten darker.

I know that when I'm angry me eyes tend to darken too - is that it? Is he angry with me?

But that open face shows no trace of ire, still only that unidentifiable emotion, foreign to my eyes.

My hand is heated where his holds it, and I'm almost certain I'm blushing under his intense stare.

I curse my pale coloring for the thousandth time in my life.

Suddenly a sound interrupts - a mobile phone ringing.

I pause to curse technology as Yohji's hand releases mine and he turns as he whips out his phone to answer.

Just like that, whatever was going on there - and I have no idea what - is broken.

I hadn't realised that my lips were dry, or that I had goosebumps on my forearms.

Distantly I hear Yohji answer his caller, and his voice sounds deeper than usual, and slightly hoarse.

I wipe my slightly shaking palms on my pants, being mindful of the fresh cut as I try to tune in on what Yohji is saying.

"…are you sure that's it? Come on you know it isn't like that!…Sure…of course I understand…yeah…I can't talk right now, but I'll see you tonight okay?"

He glanced at me when he said he couldn't talk right now…is this a current girlfriend?

It sounds like the mystery caller.

The one he said he loves.

I can feel my eyes narrow as I process this new information.

Meeting tonight?

I said it once in my head - Yohji's mine.

I meant it.

Sorry it took so long guys.

Do you still love me?

Review! Big huggles to anyone who can guess who the mystery caller is!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: sniffle Nope, not mine.

AN: Yes it has taken me a while- Well, this chapter is crap in my opinion - but I think everything I write is crap so you be the judge.

Scarlet letters Chapter 8

(Aya)

I've made up my mind - I'm following him.

Yes, it's sneaky and not at all something I would want to happen to me, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Although, even when I do find out who this mystery caller is, what am I going to do about them?

Hmm…Yohji obviously loves them so killing them would be out of the question - I don't want to make Yohji cry!

Yes, I am actually sensitive to others feelings - I just don't show it. How could I lead Weiss if I turned acted all sympathetic because Ken's kid's lost one of their soccer games, or Omi only got a 99/100 score on his test.

But I'm not sure I could handle Yohji crying, I mean sure I have seen him do it before, but I wasn't the cause of it.

How do you think Aya-chan always got me to buy her things?

Even now, as far away as she is, she still gets packages in the mail that she knows are from me, but I get happy phone calls as payments - that makes me happy.

But, I am getting off track.

It's only been a few hours since the mystery caller interrupted Yohji bandaging my hand, and I know for a fact that he is going out tonight because he has been in the shower for longer than usual.

Okay so I know how long it usually takes him to shower- I was bored one day and I happen to…who am I kidding?

I timed him.

Obsessive anyone?

At least I can admit that I was in denial.

A therapist would say that is a big step forward.

I also know that he likes Italian coffee in the morning, he's trying to quit smoking because Weiss isn't doing suicide jobs anymore, his favourite shirt is green silk, the very same one he accidentally burnt a tiny hole in with his cigarette, he can sketch quite well, his favourite foods are American, and he can speak 13 languages.

Okay, the last one I got from his file, but that is not the point. I must admit though, I was shocked when I read that little fact. Apparently Yohji was quite the child genius in school, especially with science. He graduated two years early.

Very shocking.

But then again, we all have our little masks that we wear from time to time - or in my case, whenever I'm near any living things.

Would Yohji like me better if I treated him nicer? Almost certainly.

Maybe it's time to let go of the mask?

I'm still brooding I my chair in the mission room, and don't notice Omi standing behind me with Ken, until he taps on my shoulder.

If I was really myself, I would have jumped a few inches off my chair, but I forced myself to stay still when the hand descended on me.

"Aya-kun, did you notice that Yohji is going out tonight?" He asks in his usual glass-half-full voice.

I wanted to snap at him, tell him of course I noticed, how could I not? But I really do not wish to provoke him.

Never corner a wild animal after all.

I settle for not saying anything.

His hand on my shoulder tightens, the only warning I have before he spins me and the chair half around, still managing to look innocent as ever.

"Aren't you going to the club with him Aya-kun?" Singsong voice, angry eyes - his demeanour contradicts itself.

"Hn" Honestly, this wasn't really what I expected him to say, so I try to sound nonchalant.

Omi looks at Ken, and all of a sudden, I'm on my feet, being hauled up the metal stairs, and practically dragged into Ken's room. I must say, I was still kinda shocked to actually protest.

"It's okay Aya, we know you probably don't have anything to wear so we decided to help you out!" Sounding genki even after he assisted in forcing me onto the bed.

I had a sudden flash of panic and an odd thought to go with it.

I hope Omi isn't the kinky type…we really are here to put clothes on and not take them off.

I watch nearly wide eyed, as Ken rummages through his closet, bypassing a pile of soccer shorts, pulling out a pair of soft black leather pants and a tight red shirt so dark it looks almost black also. I recognise the ensemble from a mission a month or two ago.

Next thing I know, I'm being forced into the now vacated bathroom, with no choice but to change into the clothes in my arms or face Omi and Ken, both seemingly set on making me practically stalk my teammate to a nightclub.

I risk taking a peek out of the door, and am promptly shoved none too gently back in, hearing that perky voice commanding me to change or I'll be late.

While I am trying to fit myself into Ken's too small leather pants, my mind wonders back to my list of possible identities of the mystery caller.

X

X

X

(Yohji)

I rushed to get to the club after getting the frantic phone call earlier today, hoping that bastard boyfriend of his didn't hurt him too bad this time.

Man, sometimes I dunno why he even tries. That guy loves him I'm sure, but he is as receptive as a rock.

Except in the bedroom I'm told.

Still-like it would scare him off. But he could just say it - it's not that hard. Especially if he means it.

I walk into the club after passing the bouncer with a wave of recognition, and sure enough, there he is sitting at the bar cradling an empty glass, looking like a lost child.

My heart wrenches at seeing him like that - he's usually got more energy than Omi. What they went through during the reign of Esset was almost as bad - no worse, that what we did.

I make my way through the crowd to him, and don't need to say anything to make him look up.

I grab his hand and head toward out usual booth in a darker corner. He moves compliantly as I push him onto the leather, sliding in beside him.

I know he wants to cry, but even that was something not tolerated before and old habits die hard.

He can't help it though-this time is worse than the others.

I pull him into the circle of my arms and he simply breaks. Within seconds he is sobbing into my chest, hands clenching my shirt as I let him ride out his pain, the years of being as emotionally repressed as a certain redhead I know catching up with him.

His torrent of tears eventually slow to quiet but still steady stream, his breath catching with smothered little sobs and hiccups.

I stroke his hair and whisper to him soothingly in his own language, knowing it makes him comfortable, and am rewarded with a slight relaxing of his tense shoulders for my effort.

Red-rimmed blue eyes look up at me after a few moments of silence, slightly hidden behind orange-red wisps of hair.

"Feel better?" I question, knowing that I always feel quite a bit better after letting it out a little.

He nods almost sheepishly, still trying to accept having emotions and being able to express them without reprimand.

"Yes…Thank you Katzen"

X

X

X

Oops cliffhanger.

If you want another chapter you had better review!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Not miney.

AN: Aya's POV in this chapter gets a teensy bit odd, but just flow with me m'kay? It gets explained a bit why he sounds like- well, I won't say. By the by, this chapter has a sprinkling of angst and trips down memory lane.

BTW: Thank you to Roxie Faye for correcting my German- I don't speak German at all so I was kinda winging it. Anyone else who notices the mistakes, yes, you may pity my limited lingual knowledge.

Scarlet Letters Chapter 9

After I managed to escape the clutches of the deceptively innocent chibi and what I'm told is his slave for the week, though they didn't specify which kind of slave and I didn't ask, I had to speed out of the Koneko in order to even catch a tail-end glimpse of Seven. Not that a car like that is exactly your average vehicle.

I found the car parked in a backstreet, after losing it and having to circle the block, then find a place to park my own car.

Even though my mission clothes include a fair bit of leather, and I'm used to it, does not mean I like wearing it.

I actually do enjoy the feel of leather on my skin, however, when the pants are chosen to fit someone smaller than you, it gets a little uncomfortable.

I made my way to the club trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, all the while attempting to walk in a straight line as the leather decided to crawl up into uncharted waters.

I say again, uncomfortable.

I knew that chibi was evil.

The line was quite shorter compared to the first time I had driven past this block, and the bouncer seemed preoccupied with looking down into a short blonde's cleavage under the pretence of checking her ID.

I figured he wouldn't really mind if I walked in behind him.

That voice inside my head snickered with amusement as the large bouncer didn't move his eyes from the Grand Canyon of Mammaries even as I slipped past him.

I stopped inside for a bit, not yet scanning the crowds for my quarry. That voice seemed familiar, and had often popped up before, adding input now and again. I wanted to identify that voice - since it seemed so intent of ordering me about.

Yet I felt I should know exactly what was fuelling my inner voice/split persona, and I felt that it would be doing mental eye-rolls right now.

That was familiar.

An employee offering to hang my coat up pulled me out of my introspective moment. I wanted desperately to cling to the soft black leather, mostly because it covered my suffocating posterior and offered me a shred of decency.

_Suck it up you wimp._

It would seem the voice was back. I remember Aya-chan using that phrase on me whenever we were younger and I would try and worm out of situations that would end up getting me into serious trouble with our parents - especially when she convinced me into borrowing' some of our father's rather large jar of spare change found around the house by our mother when cleaning. We didn't know he had learned a trick from our Grandfather, having tried to do the very same thing as we were, only to fail.

Our luck hadn't been any better.

False teeth had many uses it would seem, and my hand had ached for a week - Suck it up you wimp. That's what she told me.

I reluctantly eased the coat off my half bared shoulders, thankful for the club being full to such a capacity that the body heat fairly circulated throughout the room. Goosebumps can ruin an outfit.

My eyes automatically flew around the room, as if I were back in a mission scanning for a target. Just not the same type.

Oh no, this bullseye is in a whole other place.

If I were Yohji where would I sit?

For all the man's flirting and outgoing behaviour, he could hide quite well when he wanted to- blend right in. Not an easy feat in Japan when you have blonde hair and green eyes.

Almost as bad as trying to be inconspicuous when your hair is the same color as a fire hydrant.

Very difficult.

My eyes had yet to locate Yohji in the crowd, so I began on the booths and tables. I pondered on how Yohji had been in his room a lot lately, not coming to me to talk much over the past few weeks. I thought we were friends?

Or at least I had hoped for that much. Maybe I had just wanted a little of that light he seemed to radiate to shed a few rays on my own tainted soul. It was nearly unnatural, how much levity he could have after being through so much - sure he never had his family readily attempting to murder him, but from what I had hear of Yohji's past - well they weren't exactly Mother and Father of the year.

I spotted a glimpse of dark blonde hair in a corner booth, and I headed toward it like a lighthouse in a storm. I almost wished I hadn't come at all.

When I was close enough to recognize that it was indeed Yohji, but not close enough for him to have seen me - especially with his back half turned away from the crowded dancefloor - I noticed that a head was resting on his shoulder. I could barely distinguish the color in the rapid and randomly changing brightness levels of the lighting, but it seemed to be an almost orange type shade.

I stopped at the unexpected pain that seemed to hit me at the sight of someone else being so intimate with Yohji.

But I had seen him with other women plenty of times before, watched him flirt with both Birman and Manx during their visits, and charm a smile out of anything with a skirt that walked into the Koneko.

So why was this different?

It shouldn't matter should it?

_You know why it does._

I was almost hoping I didn't have a clue, but I knew all too well. This was what really pounded that last bit of denial out of my head. The denial about how I felt about Yohji. I knew why I was feeling sick to my stomach as I watched his elbow moving in a repetitive motion that indicated he was either feeling the person up or rubbing their back. I was desperately hoping on the latter.

While the later one indicated a certain amount of care for a person, the former would be out of lust.

I already knew that Yohji loved this person. So he already cared - it would only be natural to hug or comfort someone in a purely platonic fashion, but adding lust to the love that Yohji already had for this person would be all they needed for a relationship of the long term variety.

That's why all the other women didn't bother me that much. Yohji didn't love them. He knew for a fact that neither Manx nor Birman was interested in him, so it was safe to flirt to his heart's content with them.

The schoolgirls that frequented the store were all underage and Yohji charmed them into coming back to the store or purchasing something, but he was far from interested in them.

The women changed frequently, consequent to his determination to avoid having another Asuka situation on his heart.

This person, however, already had a place in said heart.

_Just where we want to be._

We? Well that says something. This voice seems very attached to me.

I start moving forward again trying to bolster my courage, and clamp down on my jealousy when I have a sudden Oh Shit' moment.

I have absolutely no reason for my being here.

What am I supposed to say when I get to the table!

Now I'm panicking and my eyes dart from side to side when I realise I'm not even five metres from the booth.

I see that unidentified head shift and burrow closer to my Yohji. I have a sudden and intense flare of anger, overriding the panic.

All of a sudden the head lifts up from the juncture of shoulder and neck - staring over Yohji shoulder, locking blue eyes with mine, and my breath hitches in my throat.

Schwarz.

Mastermind.

Schuldig.

Yohji!

I felt as if I didn't have enough working mental capacities to process the information being shoved in my face. I dimly realise that Yohji is grasping the other man's shoulders in what would be concern, and watch still caught like a deer in headlights as the blue-eyed man nods his head in my direction.

I see Yohji's head whip to face me any watch almost detached as his eyes widen. My body is moving on auto-pilot.

My emotions are telling me what to do. Escape the source of the troubling feelings.

The confusion.

The disbelief.

The hurt.

The betrayal.

The resignation.

I shove Yohji's cries of my name to the back of my mind as I stride toward the exit, not bothering to collect my coat, simply escaping as fast as I can.

Dimly, I register the fact that it has started to rain since I had entered the club but I'm not taking much of anything in right now.

My stiff, but swift movements get me to my car faster than I expected and I mechanically climb in and start it up.

My mind feels numb - you could whack me over the head with a pipe and I wouldn't offer much protest. Hell I might even help you.

_Don't think like that Aya._

The voice is not a bother right now, more like a comforting blanket for me to grab hold of. I don't know how much time passed in the car, or where I was headed.

My hands are turning off the engine before I can give a name to my surroundings.

I get out of the car slowly and realise that my emotions have not led me astray. I'm at a park.

I walk around the car, and not that it has stopped raining in this area, then I see the damp swing set.

A memory returns to me as I start to recall my location.

_" Father…why can't you understand? I'm not like you… I don't want to be like you! I want to be my own person, free from your scorn because of my shortcomings. I don't want to hate you, but you won't understand! You won't give me a chance!" I scream at my father as he stands in shocked silence at the far end of the hallway._

_My mother stands to the side in the doorway to Aya's room, with Aya standing behind her, trying to hear what the argument is about._

_My father waves a hand as if to negligently wave away my protests. He wants a perfect son, something I can't be. He wants a clone of himself - someone I can't be._

_I hate him in that instant._

_He looks at me, determined, planning my future without my compliance._

_I can't take this…suffocation…right now. His expectations have been steadily beating away at me._

_I am the cliff face to his steady waves. Wearing me down slowly, breaking me down and I can't take it._

_I let out a pure scream of frustration and turn on my heel. I ignore his demands for me to stop and I run out of the front door, not closing it behind me as I blindly ran._

_Eventually I slowed to a walk, my breath coming harshly as the adrenaline leaves me just feeling tired of it all._

_I forget my perfect posture, slumping my shoulders in weariness. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I walk without a direction, stopping at a small wooden fence._

_I look up, smiling a little when I realise my emotions have led me to my favourite haunt. The small park._

_I vault over the fence with ease borne of early martial training to ensure discipline. Landing on the other side, I make my way over to the swings I know a lurking behind the large blooming Sakura tree._

_My tracks halt however, when I notice that one of the two swings are occupied._

_The sound of my feet scuffing the slightly worn path has alerted the occupant, and the head looks up from the ground._

_I can't see much of the facial features due to the Sakura filtering out the moonlight in random slats of illumination._

_All I can tell so far is that it's a boy, looking to be a few years older than me with short hair that is possibly light brown, but I can't be sure._

_I'm debating with myself as to wether I should leave, when he speaks, " Hey there stranger…sick of the world too?" One sentence has me wanting to pour out my life story to this boy, in the hopes that he can understand me._

_No debate now, I move to sit on the empty swing and see the barely perceptible lift of the corner of his lips._

_We sit in companionable silence for a few minutes, slowly and minutely swinging back and forth, eyes closed and heads tilted back. I hear him scraping his feet to pull himself to a halt and I open my eyes to look questioningly at him. His hand is held out in front of him, and we both watch as a fallen Sakura blossom floats lazily onto his hand. It lands in his palm and he turns to me._

"_I know sometimes that life can see restricting and unbearable. But you mustn't let one event rule your opinions on life." At this point he gently grabs hold of my hand, lifting it palm up in front of him. He places the soft flower into my hand, covering it with his own, pressing the blossom between both of our hands. He smiles softly at me and I'm enraptured by both the smile and his ability to have seen past me enough to pinpoint my doubts. He continues on, " It's almost a contradiction that this fragile flower can represent a warrior. Yet it's a fallen warrior, life you see, is delicate in itself. But the cycle doesn't wait, it keeps on moving, reasserting itself. A tree can be grown from a single seed. Therein lies its strength. Perseverance." He chuckles as he folds my fingers over to fully grasp the flower, not taking his hands from mine though, " And they aren't doing too bad, huh? We shouldn't let things get us down because life will pass us by as we wallow in self-pity, when we could be growing stronger, surviving, living. Life will always try and knock you down - you've just got to keep on pushing through it, waiting for the good stuff. Because it will happen if you believe it and work for it." That small half smile is on his face again and I marvel that someone who looks about thirteen years old can know so much, and I wonder if he knows just what impact his soft words have had on me._

_He reaches for my other hand, lying lax on my knee as I sit half turned on my swing, facing him as I hang on his every word like an anchor from my melancholy thoughts._

_He holds both of my hands and gives them a gentle squeeze._

_I drop my eyes to our joined hands before looking back up into eyes - color still unidentified - that seem to hold far too much emotion and sheer knowledge for that young body._

_Suddenly, he stands, pulling me up with him and I look into his eyes once again, captivated._

_That Mona Lisa Smile has more meanings that I can comprehend, but I see understanding in those features._

_He knows what I'm feeling because he has most likely been in a similar situation._

"_We have to believe there will be better days or mankind will slide down that ladder so fast- why, we'll get splinters in our nether regions." He puts on a fake British accent for that last comment and it draws a chuckle out of me._

_I'm suddenly smiling; bad mood gone, and I throw my arms around him before I can stop myself._

_He seems surprised for a moment, but quickly places his own arms around me in a warm hug that lasts longer than it should have, but was over long before I wanted to let go._

_I want to say thank you, but it seems inadequate for the way he has eased my mind._

_He looks down at me with gentleness in that Mona Lisa Smile, and I move fast to place my lips over his in what is my fist kiss._

_He is definitely surprised now, and I'm looking into his startled eyes, trying to see the color, yet only catching the reflection of my own._

_My eyes close involuntarily and his follow. We relax against each other and the simple yet meaningful contact lasts much longer than the hug did._

_We eventually pull back, slowly, regretfully, but I know I must go back home and amend the situation._

_He seems to understand that I need to be somewhere too, and he lets me go after one last quick meeting of lips._

_He smiles at me once more and turns as I do the same, neither of us saying goodbye due to the suppressing enormity and finality in the phrase._

_It only occurs to me when I get home, that I never asked for his name, nor he mine, but somehow I held hope that we would meet again. I must hope for the better days._

I'm sitting on the swing under the very same Sakura tree, regretting the fact that the boy isn't here now to read through me and offer solace.

Just me and my memories as a tear slips down my cheek, unnoticed, as I watch the pale blossoms falling.

_Just us…_

XXXXXX

Not much of a resolution, huh? Waves butt in the air Free shot!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Bangs head against the wall "Not mine, not mine…"

Scarlet Letters Chapter 10

I wonder what he would say if he could see me now? The boy, who gave me my first kiss, showed me hope and made me see reason. The boy whose name I never asked for, or never needed to know.

I wish he were here now.

I regret never asking for his name that night, so I gave him one. I call him Nanashi.

I'm still on the swing, its soft rocking movements have calmed me somewhat. I can still feel damp tracks on my face. I remember when I got home that night, and how I apologised to my father, crying for him to understand and forgive me.

And he did.

He put his arm around my shoulders and told me, Men don't cry'.

Mother said I was a boy still, so it was okay. In that instant, I was ashamed of myself, for not understanding that my parents just wanted the best for me.

And it made me even more grateful to Nanashi for nudging me in the right direction.

From then on I promised myself I would not judge anyone on their actions, till I knew the reasons behind them. More so, if it was something out of their control.

I almost broke that promise, when I found out that Omi was in fact Mamoru Takatori. I let my hate, rage and pain blind me and I was full of guilt and regret later. I tried to show him that I didn't care who he was because he was a good person, almost attempting to atone for that mistake by being nice to him. Or trying to be nice to him.

What was I thinking? Going after Yohji like that…It's just a stupid crush right? It will go away, I hope.

"No, it won't."

The voice jolted me alert, and I spun around, as best is possible on a swing.

Mastermind.

He stood there, under the Sakura tree, holding two bottles and looking as serious as I'd ever seen him. I should feel angry or something, but I didn't even want to fight him. I felt defeated already. I didn't bother to voice this out loud, because by the looks of it - he had already heard anyway.

I didn't even try to stop him as he walked forward and sat carefully down in the swing next to mine. He just looked at me for a moment, then wordlessly handed me one of the bottles. I took it, resigned, and stared at it in my hand.

I heard him sigh a moment before the bottle was snatched out of my hand and then returned, opened. Looking at the bottle, I remembered promising myself not to ever drink again, but as the promise was made whilst violently losing my dinner, I was sure my conscience would be intact if I only had this one bottle. Lifting the drink to my lips, I stole a glance at the Telepath next to me.

_What is he doing here?_

I gave a mental shrug at the voice, suddenly very thankful that it was back and looked up in time to catch the odd look that the silent German was sending me. He didn't look as though he came to taunt me about it or something.

"I can tell you are feeling wary, but I am not here as your enemy. Schwarz is gone and we are just people now. Albeit, fairly odd people, but we just want to live." His tone of voice was explanatory, unlike the smug way he used to relay facts to us when we crossed paths.

_Maybe we should listen to what he has to say…it must be important considering he didn't take long to get here. And the fact that he left Yohji to come and have this little conversation - however one-sided it may be right now._

I had a feeling that my other was right, and even though I didn't know the exact identity, the voice seemed familiar. Either that or I'm losing my mind.

"I can tell you who it is."

I turned my head sharp enough that one of my eartails whipped me in the face. The German was looking at me strange again. It seemed like an odd mixture of curiosity, smug elation and some other feeling I couldn't put a name to. I raised an eyebrow at him, as if asking him to continue.

"You locked him away didn't you?"

Now I was feeling confused…who was he talking about?

_Me._

Who are you?

"He is you. Or, more appropriately, he was you." His voice was still harbouring the smug tint, and it made me wonder.

"I knew it - or, I have had my suspicions, and you just confirmed them for me. Consequently winning me a drunken bet. Thank you, oh so much." His little explanation ended in a genuinely amused laugh. I wasn't sure I had ever heard that from any of Schwarz. Evil laughs, yes, rub it in your face laughter and snickers, hell yes, but never just a feel good laugh.

It gave me an unexpected feeling - hope.

Maybe if Schwarz can laugh like this, carefree and happy, then just maybe there was hope that I could learn to smile. For Yohji, and Nanashi.

The similarity of the current situation, and the last time I had been one of two occupants at these swings, suddenly hit me.

Here, though, Mastermind was unintentionally showing me a chance - the possibility that I could, perhaps, be good enough to love - whereas Nanashi had been deliberate in his words.

I just hope that this situation isn't going to end in the same way as the last one. I shuddered, and not in a good way, almost envisioning that outcome.

_Do you want to make us both feel sick?_

I felt amusement at the voice's mental gagging.

I looked over in time to see yet another set of emotions passing over the German's face, in such a fast succession that I couldn't identify them. He stopped on mildly offended.

"I'm not that bad! I have someone who happens to like me very much!" His indignant manner was not fake, or so I assumed, until he stuck his tongue out at me petulantly.

His face softened into a much younger look, and he turned to face me again.

"Do you know, the fact that you seem to accept Yohji being friends with someone who almost killed him several times, is quite telling." I raised me eyebrows and he smiled at me.

"You trust him enough to not question his choices. That is a very rare thing for humans you know. We are such a suspicious race." Bitterness had crept into his voice at the last sentence.

"I didn't trust Yohji for a long time, but still he came back. He braved Farfarello, and Nagi to come and visit us regularly. Who else would handle crazy, blade licking Irishmen and emotional almost unresponsive teenage telekinetics? Well, Nagi was unresponsive until Yohji showed him proof of a certain young female's existence. They got to cram school together you know?" He looked at me, and I surmised that I was actually supposed to know whom they' included.

He frowned, then related the information, "Nagi, Tot, and Omi"

Ah…now I know why Omi was confident enough in his drunken Farfarello on St. Patrick's day comment. I should have felt angry, or something, but oddly enough, I understood. I wouldn't have handled the knowledge that Schwarz were not only alive and kicking but also were friendly with my teammates.

"He helped us. Yohji was much more effective than any kind of balding psychiatrist who thought they understood; Yohji understood, because he knew what it felt like.

He took out the chips too. I bet you didn't know he was that educated, huh? Though, frankly, after living my whole life paranoid, only to have Yohji come crashing through all of our insecurities like a fucking bulldozer - well he was and probably still is, the only one I can fully trust with a scalpel near my neck."

I was sure I had the most confused expression on my face, because he laughed at me before continuing, "We had nanotech-chips, implanted by our old…ah…trainers. It affected our neural pathways to continue their work. They were the ones that built Esset. Only to have successors though, so luckily enough for us, they are long gone. But my telepathy, and Crawford's ability kind of messed with ours. The whispers came back in." He shuddered here, but seemed to collect himself, " The one good side affect of the chips, foe me that is, was that it controlled the voices of others I heard - helped me to filter it out. When the chip was taken out, I behaved a little oddly. Acting on other people's thoughts rather than my own. Quite confusing and damn near enough to send a person insane. But now I have friends to help steady me."

I was slowly trying to absorb what I was hearing, while slowly reaching the bottom of my bottle.

_Yohji trusts him. We trust Yohji - and then some._

Suddenly, he stood and again, the parallels with the past struck me.

"Yohji is a dear friend to me, and I may not be trying to actively bring about the destruction of all humans, but I can make a special exception for you if you mess up. Hell, I'll do it for half price!" He grinned, but his face belied the expression. He was serious.

"You know I have a friend who has quite a sweet story that features a Sakura tree."

I wondered if that was idle chitchat, or if he had been sifting through my mind again. I was getting suspicious again. He started to walk off, in a lovely straight line, that I hoped I could match, when he tossed a parting remark over his shoulder.

"Y'know, Ran is right, Yohji trusts me - listen to him more often."

_Yes, you should listen to me more often._

The bottle dropped from my hands, and I was damn glad I was already sitting down.

XXXX

Review and you get a half price virtual hug.

P.S Nanashi means no name'


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Weiss belongs to Koyasu Takehito…unfair.

AN: Back to Yohji POV. Sorry for making people wait…you still love me right? Right!

Scarlet Letters - Chapter 11

**Yohji**

I hate Schuldig right now.

Really.

But, I guess I have him to thank after talking to Aya…or is it Ran now? When he told us of his decision to keep using his sister's name, he said it was because he didn't feel like Ran anymore. What changed? Schuldig wouldn't tell me just what happened when he caught up with the other redhead, but he seemed so certain that there was a human inside the swordsman, capable of caring for someone other than his sister.

I know Schuldig isn't a bastard anymore…well, much, but he isn't exactly a people person either.

The microchip that was removed was also enhancing his telepathic powers, and without it being there, he can only read thoughts clearly if he focuses quite intently on whomever he's trying to read. It's not as easy as it was before, but Schuldig is still powerful enough to pick up most stuff on his own. I really hope he didn't taunt Aya into doing or saying something he didn't mean.

Why the hell is he going to make me keep up this drunken bet? Emphasis on drunken. I didn't know what I was doing! We were in the Library! How was I to know that Schwarz kept whiskey in there? I was innocently inebriated. And now I've got myself into this. It could be worse I guess. He could've asked me to let Farfie throw knives at me.

Although, the little Irishman isn't so bad when he hasn't got various mad scientist drugs constantly stimulating his Medulla Oblongata. I still don't see how his handlers thought they could control him while he was on that crap. At least Farf didn't need an operation like Schu did. But getting those pill-centered M&M's away from him was hazardous to everyone else's health. Who knew he liked colored chocolate so much?

Okay, big entrance time.

No one's noticed me yet, and I was in front of a group of fangirls, who seem to think they know everything about us, but are yet to notice me walking right in front of them. I wonder if the guys will be able to tell it's me. The longer they take, the more I have to pay Schuldig! This bag is getting annoyingly heavy too. Another part of the bet.

I mean, sure Aya is a good friend - maybe even a best friend, but I'm not so sure he's that observant in the flowershop.

I really didn't know Nagi was so dexterous with smaller objects when it came to his powers.

God this door has never looked so intimidating.

I try to blend in with a crowd of people going in at the same time as me, but the bet specifies that I have to walk around the whole shop, so this is only temporary cover. Damn.

Oh shit! Omi's coming this way. I turn with a swish of my hair and pretend to be engrossed in a…miniature cactus? I didn't know we had those. Must remember to get one for my room - I always thought they looked cool.

I can see Ken out of the corner of my eye, carrying several ceramic pots to the back room.

I still wonder why Schu asked me to give this to Aya. Fangirls give stuff to us all the time, but we hardly ever keep it. Still, I know what this means to me, but will Aya remember? I told Schu in the utmost confidence, and he assured me that he didn't say anything, but I have to wonder. I'm certain Aya didn't know who it was.

I wonder what those professors would think if they knew that I was alive? They would drag me kicking and screaming, back off to some academic institute. And they wonder why I was 'drinking and swimming' that day. I wasn't anywhere near the beach that day. I was at home, hacking into a police database to make a drowning sighting for that day. The body was not found because it was walking around enjoying a life free of expectations. Then I met Asuka.

But, we all know what happened then so I'm not going to dwell on it again.

Argh! I shouldn't do this! Aya's coming out of the back room and I have no where to run. I'm just going to leave 'canvas bag and contents' on the counter and leave.

I hurried over to said counter, protectively clutching the bag to stomach. As inconspicuously as possible, I tried to place the bag down without garnering the unwanted attention of the ever-helpful chibi.

I managed to do so, and with much relief, headed to the door.

I think I may have run out of the shop, but it didn'y matter, so long as Aya didn't recognize me.

I walked to the side alley where I knew Schuldig was waiting and had been reading the other three to see if any of them recognized me. I don't think they did.

I saw the familiar shock of flame red hair attached to the body leaning casually against the wall. I walked up to him, ready to tell him that the bet was a failure because I chickened out, when I noticed him staring - not at me, but behind me.

Wait.

No! It can't be!

He was smirking at me! Damn.

I turned slowly, nervously looking at my shoes, not wanting to see who had followed me into the alley.

"Yohji?"

Shit! It was Aya! He was only in the shop for a few minutes - how did he know it was me? His voice sounds as inquisitive as I'd ever heard it. I looked up at his questioningly confused face and breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that he had come straight after me and not stopped to open that damn bag.

"Er…hey Aya! What are you doing around here…in this…umm…alley?" If it was possible for that much expression, he looked even more confused at my almost-stammered and pointless question.

"Yohji…" His voice was in the same tone used for frightened animals, almost as if he was wondering if I'd run away, or he was questioning my sanity. "Why on earth are you dressed like a schoolgirl?"

"Um…hehe…long story…"

XXXXXXXXXXX

Yes, I'm cutting it off there, and I might take less than a month to update this time. Unless you're really good at guessing, or I'm not as vague as I'd hoped, you won't be able to figure out what Yohji's little gift is. Just to clear it up, Yohji was supposed to find a way to tell Aya that he likes (loves) him, because Schu figured out that Aya is quite capable of loving someone. Hmm…what happened to the vagueness!

P.S yes, I know this chapter is boring, but please review anyway! Sniffles Or I'll cry!


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